Most wounds are small and heal quickly. This invention, however, is concerned with healing chronic wounds. A chronic wound is a wound that fails to heal in an orderly set of stages and in a reasonable amount of time. These wounds are difficult to treat, requiring much skill and many resources, and which may take months or even years to heal. Wounds that don't heal properly can lead to amputation and even loss of life. Common types of chronic wounds are leg ulcers, pressure ulcers (bedsores) and diabetic foot ulcers.
Leg ulcers occur due to impairment of the circulation in the leg. When veins are not functioning properly, the tissue surrounding those veins no longer receives an adequate supply of fresh blood. Oxygen cannot reach those tissues, leading to an open wound.
Pressure ulcers can occur in people of any age and are typically caused by staying in the same position for a prolonged period of time. Lying in bed or sitting in a wheelchair can put sustained pressure on the skin over a bony prominence. This pressure can cut off the blood supply and lead to a pressure ulcer or bedsore.
Diabetic foot ulcers are a common complication of diabetes. A diabetic can be unaware of a minor foot injury due to the loss of pain sensation associated with neuropathy. Continued walking on an unnoticed injury causes increased trauma and can lead to more serious injury that can become chronic.
Several million people are afflicted with chronic wounds every year. Elderly people have thinner skin which is more easily damaged; bed-ridden elderly people are at a particularly high risk. Chronic wounds that take months to heal or those that never heal, cause severe pain and hardship with much diminished quality of life. Complex wounds such as surgical wounds with complications, and burn wounds, also require additional procedures to achieve wound closure. All of these wounds represent major health burdens and drains on healthcare resources.
There are many known methods to treat chronic or complex wounds. Those relevant to this invention are: topical oxygen therapy; negative pressure wound therapy; moist wound therapy; and localized warming therapy.